August 26, 2024
KUALA LUMPUR – Diving into the murky depths of the sewage network under the city in search of the woman who fell into the sinkhole on Jalan Masjib India, the city’s firefighters keep calm and carry on.
Fire operation officer Alimaddia Bukri said for them, their sense of duty overcomes any fear or jitters they may have to find the victim, an Indian national.
“When going down into the hole… it was really scary, but this is indeed the duty of a firefighter; we have to overcome the fear and surrender to God,” he told Sinar Harian.
He said the rescuers had to dive deep into the sewer with strong currents and zero visibility coupled with the tight spaces making any movement difficult.
He said the heavy rain also made the situation worse and risky to the safety of the rescuer in the operation.
“In that hole, there is a sewage drain and other drains; it’s really deep.
“We have discussed and obtained advice from the relevant experts before making any decision in this operation,” he said.
He said the rescuer will do whatever it takes, with all their effort for anyone who is in distress or disaster.
He assured the victim’s family, that the rescuers were doing all they could to look for the missing woman.
He also thanked the public who had prayed to the rescuer in the operation.
“Thankful to all parties who appreciate our work,” he said.
Alimaddia also shared a 57-second video showing the actual conditions faced by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department’s Scuba Unit.
The victim, identified as Vijayalaksmi, 48, a tourist from India, fell into the eight-metre-deep sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India after the ground gave way when she was walking to a nearby temple at 8.22am on Friday (Aug 23).